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Abigail Mawonde Herald Correspondent
A report by the Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) has ranked the MDC-T as the most violent party for the month of June after it recorded 16 cases of intra-party violence against Zanu-PF’s three incidents.

Political analysts yesterday said it was clear Zanu-PF was on a new political trajectory anchored on peace and unity, while the opposition was rooted in a culture of intolerance activated by its leadership.

The ZPP said the cases of violence were related to the opposition party’s chaotic primary elections.

Political analyst Mr Tafadzwa Mugwadi said Zanu-PF supporters had taken seriously the call for peace by their President and First Secretary, Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa.

“The most important thing around the conduct of Zanu-PF and all its structures in engaging the 30 July, 2018 harmonised elections is that there is a direct response to the clarion call, the unequivocal call by the Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces and Zanu-PF’s candidate in this election, Cde Mnangagwa, who has been very clear in calling for non-violent conduct ahead of this election,” he said.

“So, it shows that discipline is cascading down to the structures of Zanu-PF and the message of the President is being taken to the people.”

Mr Mugwadi said this was not  case in the MDC Alliance led by Mr Nelson Chamisa.

“The MDC believes in provocative politics and does not believe in peaceful conduct. That is why cases of intra-party violence have been endemic in the MDC. (It is unfortunate) that they are parading certain names that they claim were killed or victimised by Zanu-PF yet history will one day show that it was actually an internal hatchet job in the MDC-T,” said Mr Mugwadi.

“They kill each other for power. They smear each other for power. Theirs is provocative politics. So it is very unfortunate that the MDC has refused to endorse and engage themselves in a peaceful campaign and this is why they are certainly going to be punished by the people on the 30th of July, because people have broken from the past.

“They announced it in the historic march in November that they wanted a complete break from that past which is associated with hate, smear and provocative politics to a mature political culture characterised by peaceful co-existence, tolerance and forward-looking.”

Mr Mugwadi said it was not surprising that Mr Chamisa had not condemned the violence.

“The reason why Mr Chamisa has been conspicuous by his silence on calling for a non-violent election is because he himself has been at the forefront as the organiser, funder and beneficiary of the violence that happens in the MDC. It is now a matter of public record that he controls the Vanguard,” he said.

Another political analyst, Mr Goodwine Mureriwa, said the peace in Zanu-PF was not surprising.

“Zanu-PF now has a new leader whose word day in day out is peace, unity and tolerance and his party has heeded that call . . . we can see that he (President Mnangagwa) is a friendly person,” he said.

“He is a friendly person as we witness how he has engaged all the stakeholders including the church, traditional leaders, the youth and to the extent of going into a shop to buy food like a commoner.”

Mr Mureriwa said the turmoil that characterised the MDC-T succession battle was confirmation of its violent nature.

Media studies lecturer and political analyst Mr Alexander Rusero said violence in the MDC-T was proof it failed to handle transition after death of its leader, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai, in February.

“This violence emanated from the selfishness of human nature towards accumulation, attainment of leadership via undemocratic processes,” he said.

“That is exactly what transpired. So, when a leader aspires to a certain position against the spirit and dictates of the constitution of that party, intra-party violence is likely to occur.”